The Divine Catapult

Sometimes God’s workings are like a catapult. We think we are being held back, that someone or something is resisting us. We may feel that we are being overlooked, forgotten, dishonoured, criticized or corrected.

But actually when life starts to move backwards because of resistance, it is usually God doing a work in our life, rather like a catapult. He is pulling us back in order to propel us forward with new strength and energy.

The apostle Paul spoke often of sufferings and persecutions that made him strong and developed his character and prepared him for glory:

He put it this way: “We  glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-5

Remember this; suffering, in other words, resistance, produces strength. Now we don’t usually think about that in the middle of the struggle, we just want to get out of the painful situation. But often God is using something to purify and strengthen us.

Conflict, rejection, accusation, persecution, misunderstanding, waiting, being overlooked, attacked, ridiculed – All these make us more Christ-like if we embrace them as a work of heaven to bring the humility of Christ out in us!

He’ll even use things He hasn’t personally sent to strengthen us, as He “works all things together for our good” (Romans 8:28). Even sickness, loss, pain and trauma – Your heavenly Father loves you to bits and doesn’t send these things into your life, any more than you would wish them on your own children. But God won’t waste a thing; He will use it all to build us stronger for the future.

An excerpt from my new book and online course STRONGER. Find both HERE.